Freeze-proof fountain with cooling unit



June 2, 1959 w` H.. wooD 2,888,812

FREEZE-PROOF FOUNTAIN WITH COOLING UNIT Fi1d Apri1 3, 1956 l R2/Ufern q Malfa?" Wood T ywm j 72M@ 4 United States Patent O FREEZE-PROOF FOUNTAIN WITH COOLING UNIT Walter H. Wood, Chicago, Ill.

Application April 3, 1956, Serial No. 575,721

3 Claims. (Cl. 62-263) In my patent application for Freeze-Proof Drinking Fountains, liled October 4, 1954, Serial No. 459,962, now Patent No. 2,819,926, I have shown, described and claimed an improved drinking fountain which is particularly adapted for use in supplying drinking water in an outside bubbler even where the temperature goes below the freezing point, these fountains being mounted with their supply pipes located Within closed buildings or spaces where the temperature is kept above the freezing point.

While these fountains have been found satisfactory for supplying diinking water in most locations throughout the year, I have found that it is also desirable to provide means for cooling water thus supplied at any desired time. Accordingly, I have provided my particular `fountain with a cooling unit which is mounted in a cabinet or container whereby it provides a package unit for the supply and drainage assembly along with the cooling unit. Such apparatus is particularly desirable for parks, schools or public places and for automobile filling stations where thirsty persons may secure refreshing water without the necessity of going into the building or station.

I have shown my improved apparatus in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a sectional elevational view of the cabinet mounted in the wall with the outside fountain and the cooling and control mechanism shown in the cabinet.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 2 2 of Fig. l.

As shown in these drawings, represents any suitable single or multiple unit drinking fountain which may be secured to a wall 11 in any manner such as well known in the art. The outlet or bubbler 12 is connected by fittings 13 with a passageway 14 in a cap 15 which engages with one end of a tube 16. The tube 16 has a sliding fit or engagement with a nipple 17 which extends through a hole 18 in the cabinet or container 23. The inner end of the nipple has a threaded cap 20 which serves to hold a liber-glass insulating plug 21 in the end of the nipple. A lock nut 22 engages with the inner end of the nipple as shown. The cabinet or container 23 which is shown as being mounted in the wall 11 may, if desired, be positioned on the inner face of the wall with the necessary connections extending through the wall. This cabinet or container is heavily insulated to protect the contents as completely as possible. It is provided with a louvered door or panel 24 to permit ventilation :for the cooling unit. It may be made of insulating material or covered with insulating material as desired.

The passageway or member 14 is connected by suitable pipes and connections 25 with the outlet port 26 of a supply valve 27. The valve inlet is connected by an inlet pipe 29 with the cooling units in the tank 30 of the t-hermostatically controlled cooling unit designated as a Whole by the numeral 31. The cooling elements are supplied through water supply pipe 32 from any suitable source of supply. The cooling unit which may be of ICC any ordinary or preferred form, such as in common use, is supplied with electricity through Wire 33. 'Ihe various elements of the cooling unit as shown in the present instance are all mounted on a platform 34 thus making a Very compact unit.

The supply valve 27 is of the self-draining type and/ is actuated by means of a lever 35 pivotally mounted on an arm extending upwardly from the valve. The lever in turn is actuated by a rod 36 having a push button at the outer end thereof. The rod is mounted in suitable bearings in the supply pipe supporting members as shown. The drain pipe 37 from the bowl of the fountain 10 extends into cabinet 23 and then downwardly preferably being provided with a trap 38 and lea-ding outwardly to any suitable point of discharge.

A perforated pipe 39 extends downwardly from the waste outlet of the valve 27 and its lower end is connected by means of pipe and ttings 40 with the downwardly extending portion of the drain pipe 37, as best shown in Fig. 2.

From this description, it will be seen that I provide an outdoor freeze-proof fountain and cooling unit which is very compact and which has proven successful in operation. It will be particularly noted that all of the surplus water from both the supply and waste line drains back into the heated portion of the building in which the fountain and cooling unit are mounted each time the fountain is used. The lever of operation for the supply valve provides means whereby the valve may be actuated with comparatively little force so that children may readily operate the same.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In an apparatus of the character set forth for use with a staple wall hung fountain, the combination of an insulated container positioned in a space partly enclosed by said wall and maintained with a temperature above freezing having a louvered panel in one side thereof, freeze-proof supply and drainage means connected with said fountain mounted in said container, and a mechanical cooling unit in said container for cooling the supply.

2. In an outdoor freeze-proof fountain and cooled liquid supply unit, an insulated cabinet positioned inside of the wall of a building and opened to the inside of the building which is heated sufficiently to prevent freezing, an outside staple wall hung fountain comprising a bowl and bubbler mounted exteriorly of the building closely adjacent the top of the cabinet and having supply pipe and drainage elements for the bubbler and bowl extending `directly therefrom through the outer portion of the building wall directly under the fountain and through the upper portion of the outer wall of the cabinet to the inside of the cabinet, and an electrically operated cooling unit mounted in the cabinet and having directly connected means for cooling the supply to the fountain.

3. In a cooled water supply unit in accordance with claim 2, the inner wall of the insulated cabinet being at the inside of the building wall and positioned in a nonfreezing area, the supply for the bubbler passing through said cabinet and cooled by said cooling unit, the drain for the fountain also extending through the cabinet, the inner wall of the cabinet having a louvered panel forming communication between the inside of the building and the inside of the cabinet.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,575,347 Lucas Mar. 2, 1926 1,930,225 Denslow Oct. 10, 1933 2,034,462 De Jongh Mar. 17, 1936 2,173,150 Backstrom Sept. 19, 1939 2,709,622 Erickson May 31, 1955 

